A More Depressed Nation After Two Years. (2) By David Jesse Tanko

In continuation of our cross examination of the two years administration of the APC led government, I will devote this piece to examine the foreign policy approach of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, was presumably said to be the most travelled Nigeria President when he came into power in 1999, he travelled and voyage round many countries and governments, to meet with world leaders. This was with the sole purpose of image redemption, yes! There was a need to redeem the image of Nigeria, since we have break-loose the chains of military rule and adopted a liberal form of democracy, there was need to get nation’s to support us and reaccept us into the committee of nations and for more mutual and beneficial partnership between Nigeria and other Nations.
There after the historic inauguration of President M. Buhari as the fourth democratically elected president, May 29th 2015, weeks after that the President embarked on yet another series of voyage and tour to many countries of the word, this tour were also for the purpose of redemption, thou his redemption course was far different from that of President Obasanjo, in President Buhari’s case, his redemption course was to wash off the corruption fabric that has been tied round the neck of Nigerians and Nigeria. His visit were not Tea Party and cocktail as practiced by the former administration, the visits of President Buhari was a case of a solicitor, going
to solicit and appeal for stolen wealth stored and saved in western civilization to be repatriated back to the country, he took time to sign more bilateral and multilateral trade agreements with other great economies of the world, not forgetting the series of summits and conferences the President in person took time to attend, at some point the President communicated better outside the shores of Nigeria than in his home country. security alignment were made with neighbouring countries which led to the emergence of multinational joint taskforce that degradation of Boko Haram in northeastern Nigeria.
Thou factually, there is yet to be concise foreign policy approach by the current administration, rather the are simply maintaining the old status quo of Africa being the centerpiece of our foreign policy little wonder, the quick response we did in salvaging the near break of of order in the Gambia as a result of Yahya Jameh refusal to leave power. Worthy to note are the little gains that the redemption course of President Buhari has achieved which has given some few Nigerians leadership position in world and regional bodies, the likes of Mohammed Barkindo the current Secretary General of (OPEC), Amina J. Mohammed UN Deputy Secretary General. While on the other hand their has been yet very little impact felt on the economic ties that the current administration have established with other Nations, economic expert have faulted the noninclusion of business expert in most of Mr. Presidents economic diplomacy with other Nations, it is more of a bureaucratic entourage with or no input from the private sector. To this end it is obvious that our visit is yet to materialize and affect the common man on the street, thou more need to be done on cementing our relationship with our rivals the “South Africans” who have seen us as a potential enemy rather than brothers from the same continent, the government need to also reexamine the existing stands relationship between our country and “Uncle Sam” the current leadership of America should state clear it’s stand with Nigeria to avoid the recurrent issue of sending back Nigerians with valid travel documents out of America, there is need to forge more beneficial and mutual relationship with nation’s of like minds to prosper our economy, the era of Big Brotherism by Nigeria must be stopped or reconsidered.
God make us see what matters as we continue our sojourn to unravel the truth and examine the activities of the government in the last two years.